I am a sixth generation Australian of Irish and Scottish extraction. A visit to my site is a light hearted adventure across time, countries and cities.
A real Postcard – Subject of wonder my entire life.
National myths, every country has one. Humans need a sense of belonging. Who am I? We want to be part of something more than a mixed-up land full of people scrambling for a living. Australia’s national myth captures boys who fought and died in World War1, our (ANZACs).
The above postcard is but one of many sent by home sick Aussie boys.
A Postcard I first observed sometime back in the 1960’s: 1960’s! Ask your Grandma, it’s in all the history books. But, first let me introduce my Uncle Leslie Loveday, my Great Grandfather’s Brother.
Leslie sent this Postcard from Egypt to Australia on Feb 06, 1916. He had volunteered for war and joined the 1st Australian Imperial Force (AIF) Light Horse, a mounted infantry unit. Leslie was a country lad: riding, shooting, and living rough was part of his way of life. Leslie was like all Light Horseman: Rough, tough, adventurous, brave, courageous – ever up for a drink, smoke, and a bloody good laugh.
Les wrote to my Great Grandmother Annie: “Dear Annie, With Best Love Les“. Six months since seeing Annie, he might have been dead or gravely wounded: That’s all he could muster! Never accuse Les of verbosity!
Family heroes and National Myths.
As a child, Uncle Les was a mystery to me. A considerable hero in my family and certainly part of the Australian National Mythology which has developed around the 1st AIF Light Horse. The Light Horse became Australia’s crack special forces of World War 1. Over 100 years, they now carry the burden of all that Aussies aspire to be: Straight, Honest, Brave, Fearless, Straight Talking, Loyal and True – Ridgee Didge even!
Uncle Leslie was a ‘Philosopher,’ not literally, but that was the teasing name created by those who enlisted in 1914. See Leslie, apparently thought deeply about it for 2 years, then finally joined up in 1916. But,
The real truth was Uncle Les was only then just 16. When Uncle Les’ Squadron arrived in Egypt, it was immediately broken up. Three quarters were sent to Gallipoli, Les remained in the Middle East. This probably saved his life as Gallipoli, and later the European Front, were slaughterhouses. The role Les’ mates served in France, contributing to ending WW1 can be reviewed at this Link.
Les spent the War chasing Turkish cavalry around the Palestine Desert. Les rode a ‘Waler’ into battle. Another Aussie Iconic image, the stout, ugly, tough, loyal, and resilient war horse unique to Australia.
Bill and Les – Aussie mongrels fighting a War.
Now I only learnt all this recently. Not one person in my family had any such details. It seems the details of National Mythology do not really matter: What is important is the transformational power of the message. Something else I discovered.
Reality versus Myth.
Les is not actually my Great Grandfather’s Brother; Les is actually the brother of my Great Grandmother. So, Les is actually Leslie Smoothie. Yes, I know why does that matter? It does not, other than it exposes my bias for thinking in terms of men’s history. And it also explains why I could not find any details in Aussie War Records for Leslie Loveday. To be honest, I started to think the Family Mythology was a well-kept secret scam. So, what happened to Uncle Les?
Les came home in one piece. The Australian War Museum records that on one occasion Leslie’s Troop surprised a Turkish Armoured Patrol Boat resupplying in a canal. Typical of the Light Horse, they attacked, armed only with 303’s rifles and a handful of Lewis Guns, the automatic weapon of its day. Predictably, the Aussies were quickly outgunned by the heavy deck guns of the Patrol Boat. Leslie conducted a one-on-one duel with the Patrol Boat, he armed only with a Lewis. Dodging, weaving, and popping up from sand dunes, Leslie brought time for his Troop to withdraw, then I imagine skedaddled.
Uncle Les lived out his life as a baker in a small Australian country village, not far from where I now live. A humble quiet life. Presumably, he knew my grandmother, may have got drunk at my Mother’s Christening. He may well have known my dad, as I remember Les’ Brother-in-Law, my Great Grandad George Loveday. George and my dad were sitting in the sun rolling cigarettes, must have been around 1968. But,
National Mythology.
I’m guessing, as you can see: The details of National Myths don’t really seem to affect their powerful presence in our lives. So, the point of all this? Well, it is a good ripping yarn if nothing else. It speaks to how National Mythology develops, it’s often careless with the details. Enduring no doubt, all Nations require a foundational storyline. Whether they are true or not, or whether Nations are better for their existence. Whether individuals’ lives are improved for them. I am pretty confident it depends more on lives well lived by humble men like my Uncle Les.
(The concept of Stoicism consistently pops up in my writing as a sub theme. It will do it again in this piece. The Stoic Philosophy, and its positive impact on modern life, has gained popularity on social media. If you the reader want to know a little more highly recommend Chris Kirk's regular stoic ponderings at 'https://ascendbeyond.beehiiv/com')
28 November 2022, finds me Down Under in rural Australia, suffering a debilitating head cold – feeling ‘blah’. No physical activity outside today for this little black duck. Besides, it’s oh so hot, extremely dry: The run down to XMAS in Australia. So, time for some ‘Time Travel’, better known as the pondering of history. 1980, I brought this old TARDIS, from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the first of many of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s cultural budget cuts. I’ve been very fortunate that my obsession with Time Travel, always provides the instant ability to leave the present, ponder the past, and imagine the future.
Julius Caesar – Time travel and a self-promoting violent arsehole.
I’ve been casually pondering such issues as: Was Julius Caesar a Superstar, or just a typical self-promoting politically violent arsehole? Did his behaviour time travel down to us? Ancient British Druids knew some cool stuff, what happened to them?What did the Ancient Romans ever do for us? Did anything of significance time travel down to us in 2022? Just every day meaningless ponderings: Oh, and do head colds impact your mental faculties?
Now, if I can just remember where I put my reading glasses, ok: Here we come Julius.
Caesar meets the British Celts.
2077 years previously, we find Julius Caesar invading Britain for the first time. Caesar’s all conquering legions fought their way ashore, but they did not stay long – seems British food was rough on the Italian digestion, besides those naked blue painted Brits, were not great company: They liked to get drunk and throw stuff!
Julius’ rugby toured Britain again 12 months later, again he did not stay exceptionally long: Preferring a Roman Cafe – good coffee, and the leisure time to write an awful lot of Fake News about British Celts.
Julius Caesar – Lies and Time Travel.
Caesar highly embellished the success of his troopers. Roman Infantry and Cavalry were at that time invincible. Caesar was the Ancient World’s equal of Field Marshal General Rommel, master of combined arms: Both suffered political assassinations. They were notorious self-promoters: Julius with his written war diaries, Irwin with his photos. We have so many excellent holiday snaps of Irwin in combat, simply because he ordered them taken. Jumping to 2022, Irwin has self-promotion in common with Donald Trump: The similarity stops there – One is a Fascist, the other was not.
Julius’ War Diary Time Travel to us.
Caesar’s War Diaries skip the fact that arrival in Britain was accompanied by the sounds of his men being violently seasick: Romans were not particularly good sailors, this was not the Mediterranean! So, the common legionnaire, disorientated and vomiting: Looked up at the blue faced naked masses, led by Druid priests, and simply said “Vaffanculo, non sto uscendo da questo galeone”.
Julius delivered his typical brilliant oratory: Straight out of ‘Saving Private Ryan’, “Solo due tipi di uomini stanno su questi galeoni, gli uomini morti e quelli che stanno per morire‘. Still, they refused to move! Very cleverly he sent a faithful Centurion ashore carrying the ‘Roman Standard‘, but also carrying something Julius failed to mention, everyone’s pay! Perhaps the first recorded evidence that common soldiers will certainly fight for Empire, but it’s equally motivating to secure your pay whilst you’re at it. Who were these Druids?
British Celts and sexy Druids – Time travel.
British Celts were led by a ruling high class of Druids: Born to rule, leadership as birth right, aristocratic, priest, teacher, judge, magician, wizard, shape shifter and politician – The British like this sort of thing! Druids were highly effective at marshalling martial resistance to the Romans. Consequently, Rome responded with its typical pragmaticism – they simply slaughtered every single Druid. Ironically, Irwin Rommel would have preferred if Germany’s evil Druid had had been slaughtered. To reinforce a lesson, we’ve often forgotten over 2000 years, women were well represented amongst Druids.
Female Leaders in the Ancient World.
Yes, Druids were men and women. Ancient records suggest they held some knowledge beyond common in Ancient Britain – From an earlier civilization, Atlantis even. I’m confident they looked nothing like the images that have time travelled down to us. More Maggie Thatcher or Boris Johnson, similarities exist, as Billy Bragg, (British poet, one time busker, folk singer and general shit stirrer) would agree, both were shapeshifters from another Planet.
Italian Mobsters and the Peace of Rome.
So, did Julius omit anything else? Caesar conveniently forgot to mention the significance of nature and specifically trees in the spiritual life of British Celts. He mentioned trees as in: “The Druids made human sacrifices and indulged in cannibalism amidst sacred tree groves“. It was indeed such sacrifices that Rome used as justification for the destruction of Druid led Celtic Civilization. Monumental hypocrisy on behalf of Rome! Caesar was motivated to promote the Celts as savages, he was playing a political game in Rome. Caesar’s War Diaries were the ‘twitter’ of their day. This dehumanizing of other humans for self-seeking political purposes, has been a constant time traveler down to us. Caesar was also broke!
Protection Racket in the Ancient World.
In service to the Italian Mob, Caesar was in debt to the Roman mobster families. Right up to the ears of ‘Genitor’ his fine equestrian mount. He had borrowed heavily to fund his earlier conquest of the European Celts. Not keen on sharing his bed with parts of Genitor. Military success for Caesar brought financial capital and the military honours required to dominate Rome’s politics.
Caesar invaded Britain, not to spread Roman Civilization, and certainly not to stop the alleged Druid atrocities. If Caesar was spreading ‘Pax Romana‘, it was more akin to a New York Mafia Protection Racket. Caesar wanted gold, silver, tin, and timber, the latter in huge abundance right across Britain.
Historians agree that the Celts of Britain had had a deep affinity for trees for thousands of years. The Celts were completely embedded as a forest culture. A telling point is that in the Celtic language, more words existed associated with trees than any other concept. Where might we be today if this affinity with nature had time travelled as ingrained human culture?
Ripping Yarns and the Tree of Life.
Ok, another ripping yarn and perhaps interesting, but what’s my point?
Postcard # 1 warned of my passion for Ancient History. http://postcardsfromdownunder.com/about-me/I’ve been reading history voraciously since I was about 20, so 40 years. Always pondered the achievements, thinking surely many cool things did not survive time travel? Knowledge lost? I also warned that all things are interconnected. Certainly, Ancient British Celts believed this was so. The Tree of Life was the spiritual, temporal, and pragmatic instrument of connections in Life. Such interconnectivity travels across time and space – Sometimes you just need to listen.
The Purpose of a Ripping Yarn.
My purpose was to consider the lost, what remained, reasons for such losses, what remains unchanged, and that rediscovered. All in the context of truth, warning that there are some real bull shit artists around these days. An art group I’ve been a member of for decades. Time Travel is a great antidote to such nonsense.
Somethings have not changed in 2077 years. History demonstrates that Politicians, Corporate Tyrants, and the Military, are capable of deception in service of self-seeking, self-promoting activity. In the name of self-interest, surely much has been lost, that could have made a better future. A better present, the one we live in now!
But did anything significant time travel down to us from the Ancient World?
What did the Ancient Romans ever do for us?
What did the Ancient Romans, Greeks and Persians ever do for us?
Rome gave us roads, central heating, concrete, the modern calendar, and flushing toilets. The latter quite an achievement, given this Aussie boy, did not have a flushing toilet till 1972! Ancient Greece left us some wonderful food. But also:
The water driven grain mill;
The speed odometer (important to control drink driving of bullock carts I guess);
Alarm clocks;
Cartography;
The Olympics;
Geometry;
Medicine,
Philosophy,
Democracy; (if you exclude women),
and Science.
Not to be outdone, the Ancient Persians left us:
The First Declaration of Human Rights (we obviously lost that copy);
Irrigation;
Refrigeration;
Guitar;
Monotheism (origin of the three Abrahamic Religions);
Windmills;
Air-conditioning; and
and the Postal System.
Stoicism.
And then there is, ‘The Philosophy of Stoicism‘. 200 years prior to Julius’ British Tour, Zeno of Citium, Greece deeply pondered stuff. Zeno was a very grumpy writer. I know something of grumpiness I’ve written at length about it. You can find my previous post by following this Link.
Zeno of Citium, Ancient Greece deeply pondered stuff.
Lifes Purpose.
Eventually, several bottles of retsina in, he nailedthe ‘Purpose of Life’ – Stoicism. Julius obviously skipped this class at the Military Academy – Playing polo with Genitor, I guess.
Zeno’s ponderings time travelling 500 years down to Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius – 2022’s most well-known promoter of the power of Stoicism.
Mental Health and the stiff upper lip.
Few people would have heard of Zeno, but everyone is familiar with the term to be ‘stoic’. EG: The British displayed great stoicism during the Battle of Britain.
The stiff upper lip, the British Bulldog Defiance!
‘Keeping a stiff upper lip’, to be stoic, is an aspect of the Philosophy of Stoicism, but not the essence. The essence of Ancient Stoic Philosophy is that man can harness Logic, Acceptance and Control. All aimed at calming the heart, mind, and soul. Starting to sound familiar? Up steps modern Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Now time travel gets really interesting!
CBT has proven effective in treating:
Depression,
Anxiety,
Eating disorders,
Bipolar dysfunction,
Childhood abuse disorders,
Alcoholism,
Drug addiction, and
Smoking.
Given the increasing prevalence of such issues, high chance you’ve personally benefitted from CBT. Or at least some of your family and friends have. Excellent, how does CBT work?
In essence, with CBT, the idea is that if you have unhelpful automatic thoughts, these can negatively influence your emotions. Your emotions then drive behaviour. Often those negative or automatic thoughts do not accurately present reality. So, CBT interventions help you recognize or change those automatic thoughts. Then manage how you perceive, interpret, and react to the world. This sounds awfully familiar.
So, CBT of 2022 is based on Old Zeno’s writings of 2400 years previous? Well not exactly.
CBT arrives in the Contemporary World.
In 1962 American psychotherapist Albert Ellis, a pioneer of early CBT, was pondering his own time travel. Writing up clinical observations, he suddenly recalled his own Year 10 class on the teachings of Marcus. He was I imagined quite stunned:
“This principle, which I have inducted from many psychotherapeutic sessions, was originally discovered and stated by the ancient Stoic philosophers, especially Zeno of Citium, and Marcus Aurelius“.
The truths of Stoicism were set forth by Epictetus, who wrote:
“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them.”
So, in 1942 the stoic old bulldog had it right:
It seems that 2400 years previously, humans stumbled across the healing power of Stoicism. Then enthusiastically went about destroying other people’s civilizations, tinkering with new religions, reducing trees to commodities. Generally, after fucking things up, then hurried off as if nothing happened.
Fortunately for those for whom CBT is a lifeline to happiness, we found our way back in time.
Time Travel.
Time for me to live in the 2022 present. After all my TARDIS needs a service, you just can’t get the spare parts. I’m told its COVID delays and the Ukraine War – Best be stoic and focus on what’s in my control.
Pay attention to your own personal TARDIS – Time and Relative Dimension in Space.
In 1945, when Hiroshima and Nagasaki disappeared in a nuclear flash, well Japan’s dreams of the great ‘Asian Prosperity Sphere’ were, well and truly radioactive ash!
With Japan defeated and thrown out of occupied Asia, the original occupiers felt free to return. Britain quickly reset about renting out Singapore to the Singaporeans. Not surprisingly the Singaporeans said,“We’d like the property deeds back thank you!” (click this link to read about Singapore’s independence story)
This did not happen till 1965.
So, with the Landlord gone, clearly Singapore loved the British Empire Trinkets left behind.
A considerable part of a considerable National fortune has been spent repurposing such buildings to serve the people of the Republic: Art Galleries, Libraries, Museums, etc.
All first-class stuff!
Sir Stamford Raffles looks down on contemporary Singapore from numerous statues: Wonder what he would think?
Packing for my October 2022 Singapore adventure. Negative emotions haunt me, ghosts of my preparations, almost 20 years back, for one of the other great adventures in my life.
I had enlisted in the Australian Army at age 38. Why do something stupid like that?
I had wanted to enlist in 1979, Australia had only just extricated itself from the bloody war in Vietnam, my Country was giving shelter to refugees: War was fresh in our minds. My mother had endured my father’s 30-year military service, which had caused her great stress. She was also devoutly Catholic, and South Vietnam, a predominant Catholic country had just fallen to the ravages of communism, which added to her emotional stress. I did not want to break my mother’s heart by continuing the family military tradition, so, I became an Architect. But that urge and drive never left me. 2003, age 41, enlisted 3 years in, serving as an infantry soldier part time and volunteering for short term continuous full-time service: The Aussie Army was busy: Iraq, Timor-Leste – such things meant soldiering work for even middle age-old people.
It had been a long 3 years, undertaking study to achieve a commission from the Australian Royal Military Academy (Duntroon). Serious academic study are you serious! I am an Architect, it’s not that serious academically, I signed up to shoot and blow stuff up! Ok, I get paid to fire thousands of rounds through machine guns, sweet as Bro: What? You’re now telling me I have to hit a moving target at 300 metres, with just one shot! Sorry, Sarge can I ask, why you gave me an automatic weapon if I am only allowed one single shot? Ok, I will shut the F*ck up, and no I don’t want another arse hole, but I can’t even see that far! And, if I don’t qualify on that ridiculous task, twice a year I’m out!
Military Memories.
Oh yeah, long weekends, long weeknights, and regular trips away out to a month, but nothing like the last adventure. What was I thinking? Enlisted at age 38! Fat, heavy drinking, chain smoking over working Architect, then divorce. 20 years older than my Duntroon class mates. Dislocated shoulder from a horse-riding accident, lost me a year. First year was tough, how does one turn around a neglected body: Running, lifting, boxing, cold turkey on the smokes: And just digging deep most of the time. So,
Age 41, off on a two-month adventure, my last combat course: Hopefully, the Queen, would see fit to offer me the Commission I had wanted at age 17. How did I feel?
Nervous: What am I doing? Why? This is going to be a shear nightmare! Apprehension. Going to miss my family. Fear, yes! Little sleep, disgusting food and let us not think about the academic stuff. Face it, you are no ‘Rocket Scientist’ nor the sharpest tool in the shed! Ironically,
Welcome to the ruling Class.
I actually had a mate at Duntroon, who was doing his PHD in Rocket Science! See, I was a working-class boy from a working-class town, educated at a working-class Catholic School, I did not even go to University, I completed my architectural degree part time at a technical college in the evenings. My peers at Duntroon, many of them: Well, let me just say for the first time I met the ruling class. Sons and daughters of Generals, Senior Officers, Politicians and Corporate Titans, realization that indeed some people start life with one foot up the Journey of Life ladder. An awful lot of fire power to open doors for you. However,
Egalitarian Australia saves me.
Fortunately, Australia still holds onto to its desire for egalitarianism, embraces meritocracy. There were just as many from the back blocks, and every race, colour, and creed: It really represented contemporary Australia. Generally – Merit, drive, and determination had been their entry ticket.
So, yes 20 years previously I was far from excited – Negative emotional overload, definitely!
What else am I pondering?
Travelling companions.
Well, looking at my old once best companion: My standard Aussie Army Backpack and Combat Webbing. Like a shell to a tortoise, it had been my bedroom, kitchen, pantry, wardrobe, protection, and shelter. Contrasted with my Singapore kit: I think what a load of crap! All soldiers will tell you, check your kit, remember your government had it made for the lowest possible tender price. Check, check and check again.
What of my new adventure to Singapore?
Excited cannot describe it! Every corner I turn will be new, fresh full of opportunity. At age 60 it is so important to avoid physical and mental staleness. The narrow mindedness of age and experience. Mark Twain, writing in 1880, captured my feelings:
So, what about my adventure of 20 years previous, what happened?
Smirking your way through life.
If in doubt, well smirk your way through life!
Well, I passed my course, never had to reset any academic subjects. The old corpse stood up pretty well, though I lost 8 kilograms. Posted out as a newly printed Troop Commander to First Field Artillery. I remember doing an awful lot of smirking, which is really my message to the world, that I don’t take either myself or it very seriously.
But I moved on again after several years. Life changes! Was all that work wasted? Not really. I spent another 14 odd years Project Managing Defence Construction Projects. I had the time of my life, complex, tough projects, long, mostly satisfying hours, collaborating with incredible people: None of that would have happened without doing something really stupid, like enlisting at 38! Certainly, none of that would have happened if I remained a fat, heavy drinking, chain smoking over working Architect.
Every Journey requires a forward step.
Sometime, life requires a step into fear and the unknown. Opportunity seldom comes to the sedentary man. Ernest Hemingway captures it for me:
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
Ever had a Year of Living Dangerously? Did you enjoy it? Did it make you feel alive?
I have. It was great! Adrenalin is addictive. Sometimes you get close to Yoda’s advice, ‘Feel the Force Luke‘ or ‘Scared, you will be‘. But it impacts and hurts others, and it damages yourself.
Disappearing time.
The 1978 Christopher Koch novel, ‘The Year of Living Dangerously’, tells the tale of Indonesia’s 1965 descent into hell! The threat of communism became the fuel, which fired the dominant Indonesian families to fight for power, at any cost. It ended in a successful military coup, that still reverberates today. Alleged communists paid with their lives, it is estimated that 1 million were slaughtered!
I have travelled Indonesia extensively. It is almost impossible to have anyone speak of this period. Though, that may well be down to my notional attempt at speaking Bahasa Indonesian! It is known as the ‘Disappearing Time’, which perhaps explains precisely what occurred.
In pondering these events, I suspect that all is not as it seems. Did the victors slaughter their opponents in order to save Indonesia from totalitarian communism? Or was it all a ‘Big Lie‘, driven by an urge for self-seeking power and control? I’m sensing Deja Vu here.
Indonesia intrigue.
I am intrigued where Indonesia’s future lies. The Planet’s largest Muslim Nation. 275 million people can’t easily be ignored. How will their future process the events of 1965? Who, if anyone, will Indonesia choose to align itself with?
The 1982 Aussie film, of the same name, stars Sigourney Weaver and Mel Gibson. It is essentially a love story at many levels. Sigourney is excellent. Mel is, well Mel: Handsome and charming at his best. Mel was not always the bloated, loudmouth fool we have come to know. The 1980’s was a classic period of brilliant Australian Cinema, ‘Living Dangerously‘ is comfortable in that group.
Shadow and Light.
The movie expands on the theme, all is not what it seems, through the theme of traditional Indonesian puppetry. Ok, this bit’s ‘very arty’ yes, but it works cleverly, capturing, mood, shadows, danger and uncertainty. Indonesian puppetry, or correctly ‘Wayang Kulit‘, portrays human life through shadow and light, metaphors of evil versus good, the known, and the half seen. Given the dark forces at play during this period, the movie brilliantly uses this traditional art to echo the drama, love and violence. Shadow and light touches on Indonesian spiritualism, a subject I have previously written about, can be seen by clicking this link.
So, the book and the movie are firstly informative and then entertaining. Best to read the book, then watch the movie. What’s to loose? : A romping good story if nothing else. Critical history not commonly known. An Indonesian National Mythology was created in 1965: And sustained the Coup, until it finally collapsed in 1998. I am also intrigued by, ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ of National Myth Making. And, no I’m not obsessed by Italian Spaghetti Westerns!
Ok, readable copies of the book can be obtained on ABE Books, an online international seller of preloved editions. Cost start at $3.00 US dollars. If you are into books, even if you are not obsessed like me, you should make ABE a friend.
Till next time. National Myth Making? Now there is an intriguing subject to ponder.
Welcome to my first Postcard. What is this about? Well, since I no longer work fulltime, I have decided to write a public journal about things that interest me, and things I ponder. Starting with Singapore. My Singapore adventure will include, history, politics, war, eating, and retail therapy.
Contemporary Singapore – World Class Destination.
First a little about me.
I am a sixth generation Australian of Irish and Scottish extraction. Probable convict heritage, but certainly Irish economic refugees. I have worked as an Architect, was in harness to the now past Queen Elizabeth II; (as an infantry soldier, then artillery officer), before ending my work life as a construction project manager.
I am fortunate to be interested in many things, I am tragically also just as passionately obsessive about just as many. I do write a lot about the following topics:
Leadership Learnings from Experience;
History and its bearing on contemporary life;
Military History, avoidance of those mistakes; and
Building stuff and the shear joy of craftsmanship.
Not being an expert nor qualified in any of this, I can only try to keep my ponderings ‘real’ and ‘grounded.’
My wife Lizzie and I were fortunate to start our Singapore adventure in October 2022. What did I know about Singapore?
Singapore 1986 – Broke and Seedy.
Well, I did not know too much. I previously visited in 1986 as architectural graduate, not a dollar too my name, so yes it was a ‘seedy’ side of Singapore for me. Today’s Singapore, well much of it is no longer seedy, far from it! Take Raffles Hotel:
When I propped up Raffle’s Tiger Bar in 1986, it was a little shabby, very rakish and none to discerning about clientele, after all they let me in!
Contemporary Singapore is completely different politically, economically, and architecturally. Not that I remember much from 1986, I did get drunk several times in Raffles, well who didn’t in those days? I worked for the Republic of Singapore Airforce in Australia for 2 years, building runway infrastructure. I found the Singaporeans; friendly, intelligent, charming, and very professional.
Intriguing Singapore Adventures.
So, what intrigues me about Singapore?
Australia has had a difficult relationship with Asia. Wars with Japan and Vietnam, ongoing non-violent tension with Indonesia. Australia is or was, a transported English culture, out of place. Perhaps. We do not see ourselves as part of Asia, though a previous Prime Minister argued strongly that we should.
In February 1942, Singapore was overrun and occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army. Many Australian troops fought, died, and were captured. Since then, Singapore has morphed into what some say is the Earth’s most modern city. How did that happen? What about Politics?
Communism is a dominate thread in Asian development since World War 2, that and casting off European Imperial Colonization. Indeed, they both go hand and hand. But,
Singapore did not fall to Communism. Vietnam obviously did. And poor old Indonesia had a ‘Year of Living Dangerously,’ when the communist presence was brutally exterminated.
Singapore has been described as a ‘Benevolent Dictatorship,’ Is that really true? The people generally seem; healthy, well housed and have access to amazing built and natural environments. Has this form of government actually had a positive outcome?
Singapore – Much more than war and politics.
So, such topics intrigue me. How did Singapore do all of this?
However, I am also obsessively passionate about Asian Food, Gardening, Planting Trees, Cool Cars, Affordable Watches, Persian Rugs, Fishing, Literature, Ancient History, Book Collecting, Biggles, Winston Churchill, and all manner of beautiful objects to fill your home.
That is my early warning: I am quite a stream of consciousness pondering person, seeing connection between all manner of things, not necessarily in the same place or time, ok that can be annoying. I will try to stop short of some lame stand-up comedy routine, cannot promise anything. But,
I will try not to be boring.
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Welcome to Postcards from Downunder. My ponderings on travel, and all manner of human activity, all presented with a historical context.
